"Tide’s In, the Dirt’s Out!" The Tide Soap Factory
The basics: This is a fully assembled and decorated HO gauge for plant for making Tide brand laundry detergent. The structure’s footprint is approximately 6-3/4 x 6-1/2 inches with a height of 8-1/2 inches. There are two chemical tanks rising three levels above the ground. These are surrounded with structural supports and safety railings. There are white safety lights as well as red aircraft warning lights atop the tanks. The tanks both have the Tide logo. There are two electronic Tide signs with animated lighting pattern on both sides.
The building is designed for use with the Menards Plug & Play 4.5 volt power supply, sold separately. Check Menards SKUs 279-4061, 279-4062, or 279-4050. You may wish to consider the 8- or 9-piece Plug & Play accessory kits (SKU# 279-4035, 4681) and to serve multiple structures and vehicles. All are available separately.
Why you need this: Even HO gauge city folk need to get their laundry done, and the Tide soap plant will help satisfy that need! Tide is one of the largest selling detergent brands on the planet, and it is an obvious choice to serve the cleaning needs of your town.
This is an industrial building in the tradition of the Menards Pepsi plant, American Power & Light, or the Morton’s Salt factory. It grabs your attention, but it can easily fit in with HO gauge equipment.
The base is decorated with grass. The rear has removable tunnel insert with loading door image that conceals a space for train run-through. The superstructure features "steel" cross bracing with rivet detailing at the joints. This framework surrounds two chemical large tanks. The rear of the structure is simulated modern metal construction.
Soap magic happens in the tanks, and both of the chemical tanks rise above the roof. On the ground level two short pipes run into the lower halves, while two other pipes feed in at a higher level. Short pipes cross between the tanks at both the ground and second levels.
A ladder runs the length of one tank to the roof of the building.
The third, or roof level platform, has multiple tiers - two for the short tank and three for the taller tank. Yellow safety railing surrounds all three elevations.
On the rear of the roof you’ll find a pipe curving out of the taller tank. This runs to a smaller horizontal tank placed the roof. An additional pipe flows downward into the building. Two workers are posed on the second and third levels, and Jack The German shepherd is at the base of the taller tank.
The gray and yellow structure is livened up with vibrant, brightly colored Tide soap logos on front of each tank. The rear of the building has twin, illuminated signs showing the Tide trademark. They are placed above the train run through.
When "off," the background is orange, the rings are yellow, and the Tide lettering is dark blue. Power it up and the yellow circles flash green in sequence and the lettering, now a lighter blue, illuminates one letter at a time. This looks good in normal room light and is spectacular in dimmer lighting.
The Tide plant is an impressive building that will be a good spot to place tank cars, boxcars, and assorted delivery vehicles. This is a unique building with a modest enough footprint to find a home in your city or suburban industrial park.
Dimensions: 6-3/4”W x 6-1/2”D x 8-1/2”H
Features
- Fully Assembled
- Prelit with LED lights including 2 red warning lights
- Features 2 electronic Tide signs with animated lighting effect
- Includes 4 workers, 2 "chemical" tanks, safety yellow railings, ladders, pipes and water tank on the roof, and Jack the German shepherd
- Built-in train tunnel to run trains through or camouflage with the innovative "tunnel insert"
- Limited edition
- Approximate Power Draw: 210 mA
- Requires 4.5-volt power source (sold separately, Menards SKU# 279-4061, 4062, 4050)
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